Gate.



No. 73.2;128. PATENTED JUNE, 1903. G. H. SMITH.

GATE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 3, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITEDV STATES Iatented .T une 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of .Letters Patent No. 732,128, dated June 30, 1903. Application filed November 3, 1902. Serial No. 129,915. (No model.)

T0 all w/wm, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Burlington, in the county of Clinton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a gate of novel construction to be used more especially upon farms or roadsbut adapted for the usual varied application as regards the general structure thereof.

The gateopens and closes automatically,be ing held normally closed by means of weights and the like, and other means of peculiar construction are utilized to counteract the effect of the weight, and thereby permit opening of the gate.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

Whilev the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the trip in position. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the peculiar mounting of the gate. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the opening and closing mechanism, the gate beingopen. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the operation of the weight-tripping device. Fig. 6 is a view showing the position of the trip when throwing the weight into action to close the gate.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The gate l, embodying this invention, is of the ordinary type, consisting of horizontal and vertical rails and adapted to swing open in one vdirection automatically. The structure is supported by the usual uprights or posts 2 and 3, being pivoted to the latter.

The automatic opening means before mentioned consists, essentially, of the peculiar disposal of the pivot connections 4 between the gate and post 3,'said connections being out of vertical alinement with each other, causing the gate to tilt in a predetermined direction, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings. A rearwardly-extending arm 5 is suitably attached to the gate, preferably to the upper horizontal cross-piece. A Weight or weights 6, connected bya rope or like means 7 to the arm 5, the rope passing through a pulley hung from the lowel` of two brackets 8 and 9, rigidly disposed upon the post 3, serve to maintain the gate normally closed. balance the weight of the gate and tend to hold the arm 5 close to the post, as shownin Fig. 1. To prevent said arm from striking and jarring the post each time the gate closes, a portion. of the said post (designated 10) is cut away. Blocks 11 may also be interposed between the arm and the upper cross-rail, to which it is secured, to obviate the above-described jarring or striking action. This latter, however, is not essential to the invention, since any means found best adapted for the purpose may be utilized. The object in using weights 6, two or more in number, is to prevent too sudden closing of the gate when the same are thrown into action. The lowermost ofthe Weights strikes the ground first when the gate is nearly closed, and thus the latter, relieved of the full pulling force of the said actuator, closes more gradually, locking, however; in the usual manner. Any latching means found desirable may be used, according to the size and character of work the said gate is expected to perforrn.`

To open the gate, it is necessary to counteract the weights 6, and this accomplished the samewill automatically open, owing tov its peculiar mounting, before particularly set forth. For the above purpose an operatingcord 12 is also connected to the weights7 said cord passing through pulleys hung or located upon the outer end portion of theuipper bracket 8. The brackets 8 and 9 are supported in any substantial way, a brace-piece 13 being illustrated. The lower bracket 9 is cut away at 14, and a catch 15 is pivoted to the same at the said portion, said catch being thus disposed about in the plane of the re- These weights approximately maining portion of the bracket. The pivoted catch 15 has a longitudinal slot 16 at the outer end thereof, mention of which will be made hereinafter. A trip 17 is adapted for both a sliding and pivotal movement upon the bracket 9. A coil-spring 18, connecting theinner ends of the trip and bracket 9, serves to normally hold the said trip at the inner end of the bracket. An auxiliary cord 19, connected to the operating-cord 12, actuates the trip, said trip cooperating with a knob 20, located upon the operating-cord 12. The trip 17 also has a slot 21 in the outer end portion thereof in alinement with the slot 1G of the pivot-catch 15. To keep the operating and auxiliary cords in proper position, a lug 22 is projected upward from the end of the bracket 8.

. In operation, to open the gate the passer-by pulls the operating-rope 12, which may be disposed so as to extend to some distance upon either side of the gate. Upon pulling said rope the weight immediately begins to ascend. When the weights have been pulled to a sufficient height, the knob 20 strikes the catch 15, raising the same and also the trip 17, which has been pulled outward against the tension of the spring 18, the operatingrope entering the slot 21. The knob 2O as soon as it clears the catch 15 is allowed to drop and is ofcourse caught by the said catch in its slot portion 16, the latter now supporting the weights 6, and the gate being relieved of the same swings open and the trip returns to its former position. Having passed through the gate, the user seizing the operating-rope upon the other side gives it a sharp'pull, whereupon the trip 17, the auxiliary rope 19 being about taut, is projected against the knob 20, throwing the same from the catch 15. The weights dropping a few inches, due to slight slack in the operating and weightbearing ropes, are now thrown into action, and the gate feeling the influence thereof gradually closes. The trip having performed its function regains its original position under the tension of the spring 18. It will be seen that the gate is operable from either side, convenient means, such as posts 23, being used to hold the operating-cords in position. Grips of suitable nature may also be applied to the ends thereef. A housing, as shown in dotted lines, may be placed about the weights to prevent the same from swinging and also about the sides of brackets S and 9 to avoid the obstructive effects of the elements.

The invention is susceptible of varied modiications of structure as to the general details before enumerated, the same being included within the broad spirit of the invention and scope of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1.l In combination, a gate hung to open automatically, weight means for counterbalancing the said gate to normally hold it in a closed position, operating means for holding the weights out of action to open the gate, and a trip for throwing the weights into their normal position and thereby closing .the gate, substantially as specified.

2. In combination, agate hung to open automatically, a rearwardly-extending arm secured to said gate, weights coperating with said arm to hold the gate normally closed, means for holding the Weights suspended to relieve the gate of the counterbalancing force thereof and permitting it to open, and means for positively throwing the said weights into their original position to effect a closing of the gate, substantially as described.

3. In combination, agate having a rearwardly extending arm, gate posts, weight means cooperating with said arm to normally close the gate, brackets disposed upon the post to which the gate is pivoted, a catch located upon one of the said brackets and adapted to hold the weights suspended and out of action to allow the gate to open, and a trip for throwing the weights into action to effect a closing of the gate, substantially as described.

4. In combination, a gate adapted to automatically swing open, a rearwardly-extended arm secured to the gate, and a weight coperating with said arm to hold the gate normally closed, brackets rigidly secured to the gate-post, a catch pivoted to one of the brackets and adapted to hold the weights suspended out of action, a spring-retracted trip pivotally and slidably mounted upon the said bracket and adapted to throw the weights into action, substantially as specified.

5. In combination, a gate and gate-posts therefor, a rearwardly-extending arm secured to the gate, brackets rigidly secured to the gate-post to which the gate is hinged, weights suspended from the lower bracket and connected to the rearwardlyextending varm of the gate normally holding the same closed, an operating-cord connected to the weightcord and carrying a knob, a catch pivoted to the lower bracket coperating with said knob to hold the weights suspended and out of action, and a trip adapted to be projected against the aforesaid knob to throw the same out of engagement with the catch and cause the weights to resume their normal position, thus effecting a closing of the gate, the trip beingactuated by a cord attached to the operating-cord in a manner substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE I-I. SMITH. LL. s]

Witnesses: f

WILLiAM CRAIG, THOMAS C. HAYDock.

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